2008!

It's been a while since I write a post! Now it's the beginning of 2008. Time goes by toooo fast. For past 2 months have been so crazy. I start working part time at a shelter home for single women and families. Which means I work overnights. It has been a challenge and a big adjustment for me. Since I have to take care of kids full time. Not getting enough sleep, etc. Start study medical coding and billing school online. Right now, I'm study Anatomy and Medical Terminology. As you can see why I haven't post lately. Now that Christmas is over.

Makenzie is going to preschool 2 times a week which is nice! Mak was looking forward to it then on her first day of school and she freaked out! Cried. I explained to her that Mommy will not stay with her, etc. Then on 2nd week, she didn't cry this time. She really enjoyed going to school.

Mathew is doing really good. He loves going to his school. He has been walking a lot without his crutches. His left leg is making it soo difficult for him. He depends on his right leg a lot. When we went home for Christmas and everyone was surprised to see him walking around without crutches! LOL. Of course, he fell sometimes. Sometimes, he need some supports like walk by the wall, etc. Also, he's qualify for neurosurgery!!!! I'm soo exciting for him. I will be more nervous as time gets closer. Prolly plan to have his surgery end of March. It's suppose to help him walk easier, easier to sit, etc. So will wait and see. *crossing my fingers*

Got to go. U know kids!

Woman loved life as a 'farmwife'

Yellow jacket is Grandma Dee and her very close sister, Jean

By Kathy Hanks - The Hutchinson News - khanks@hutchnews.com

All her married life, Deloras Harkness brought meals to her family working in the fields.It was just before noon on Tuesday when the Scott County farmwife was heading to the milo field with sandwiches and milkshakes. On a road she traveled for more than 50 years, just one-quarter mile from home, Deloras, 76, didn't see the other vehicle through the blinding dust from truck traffic. The two collided."I went with her thousands of times," said her sister, Verene Dearden, Garden City. "She was always careful."Harkness' sister said the two were raised in a close-knit family of 14 children on a Sioux Indian reservation in South Dakota. Some of Deloras' domestic skills were gleaned during high school, when she boarded with a Scott City farmer and banker, Henry Parkinson, and his family. Keeping house and cooking allowed her to earn money to attend school.Soon after graduating in 1949, she married Robert Harkness, and together they farmed by Dry Lake, in Scott County. "Her fondest dream was being a wife," Dearden said. "She learned to be a farmwife through Bob."The couple raised three children, Mike of Scott City, Kenton of Garden City, and Deb Gruver of Scott City. She also had 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. "She loved being a farmwife, and made sure the men had food," Dearden said. "She had a beautiful home and they always had the big family meals there during the holidays." Daughter Deb Gruver said her mother hung at least 40 Christmas stockings every year. So many, Bob Harkness had to create a special bar and chains to hold them."Mom taught us to be thoughtful, kind and respectful," Gruver said. "She was a very unselfish person, the last to sit down at every meal." In his grief, Kenton Harkness was cherishing the things his mother taught him. "She was Christ-like," he said. "She liked everyone, knew no strangers, was not racist and embraced everybody."Known for her sewing skills, every one of her 10 grandchildren received a homemade quilt when they graduated from high school. Deloras passed along her sewing talent to her daughter."I remember spending hours with Mom in the sewing room," Deb Gruver said. "We'd talk and giggle." Her sons recalled their mother as a willing gopher on the farm."She'd run to town for parts," Kenton Harkness said. "She moved pickups from one field to another at the drop of a hat."But that's not all; she even vacuumed the inside of the tractors and combines, and kept the windshields clean on the vehicles. That was one way she made sure everyone was safe.

Books

"Found" by Karen Kingsbury. I'm almost finish that book. I love it. I just find out that it's a series! Pfft. It's #3. Baxter Family Drama-Firstborn Series. Trying to decide if I shld read #1 and #2.


The other book I finished last week was "Over the Waters" by Deborah Raney. Wow. It melts my heart!


"The Nanny Diaries" is my next book! Then I want to see this movie. It looks like HILARIOUS!

Prayer Walk

I went for a prayer walk with my church. I don't know how many miles I have walked with others. But some continue to walk around part of salina back to the church. That would have be 18 miles. I didn't finish since I had plan with my mom. I wld say I have walked half circle. It was about almost 3 hrs for me. Boy! It was a challenging! Feeling the pain what Jesus has gone thru. Debra and Kerry and I were having pain in our hips! Debra was eager to learn sign language with me!! So I helped her with her signing while walking with her. It was challenge to walk and sign with her. It was windy and humid!! And pray in my mind to talk to lord. Pray for the women, men, and children. And it was an amazing experience! Worth my time. Got home and took a shower. I was soo exhausted. So my mom took us out to eat at Hong Kong. I had trouble keeping up with conversation and lip reading, etc. As soon we got to my sister's house. We all took a nap and I slept for 3 hrs!! whew! Went back home as my kids spending the nite at Aunt Nikole's and with Grandma. So it was weird feeling for me being home with Mauricio only. Quiet house.. I got to take a hot bath and read a book and watch tv. Just do NOTHING! Went to sleep at 8 30p or 9p till 7 30am. Caught up my sleep. Soo nice! Am looking fwd to see my kids!

Organic....

I have been reading to get some ideas for non-toxic cleaning recipes. I love this link http://www.care2.com/greenliving/. I'm learning.. Try to change 1 thing at a time. My goal is to stop using the cleaning supplies that has all the chemicals. Change 1 by 1 cleaning supplies. I was reading a "Cookie" magazine about eco, etc. How to get the stain off of ur clothes? Pour boiling water on the spot as soon as possible! I'm like... That's simple! I love that part about the "pot gardening." It makes want to grow organic fruits, veggies, and herbs. I don't want to dig our garden to grow them. Anyway.. Something to think about to change everything to organic one at a time.

Updates...

There are soo much going on in the past few wks.

Bathroom is almost done remodeling! Just need to refinish the tub and then caulk around the tub and shower wall. 5 new windows. Just need to add 3 more new windows in 2 bedrooms which it will have to wait.

Mat had a surgery few days ago to repair his right inguinal hernia. He's healing quickly. Just glad that it's over. Because we had to drive 3 hrs to go to KC Children Mercy's Hospital early am then drove back after he had his surgery. Just so good to be home and back in schedule. Mat is not able to go to school till this coming Monday. Mathew, also, had MRI testing last wk. First try wasn't successful. He couldn't stay calm and cry. They can't do the testing while he cry. I can't go in the room because I have cochlear implant. I totally forgot about it! *slap me* Then reschedule again and put him to sleep and did the testing. It went well but it was a looooong morning. Then he had an immunization shots this morning. Poor him. He has to go thru so much for the past 2 wks! Other good thing, Mat has been playing xbox a lot lately! :-( But he sure enjoyed playing games on cpu, Nick Jr. He did really well himself! He learn quickly. Wow. He let Mak sit by him and watched Mat doing it. He let her pick out too. Share.

Mak has been throwing tantrum lately. Whines about EVERYTHING! Screaming at me. Is it her age? Mat was never like that. Mmmm... She has been trying to comfort Mathew lately due to surgery, and him being in pain, etc. It was soo sweet. She seems to be sooo THIRSTY for knowledge. She starting to sign new words. She loves to read read and watch movies and play by herself. Also, goes for a walk with me, too.

As for me.. I'm feeling weird lately. Fustrating.. I think I miss "me time" and "date with my honey." Mauricio knows that I want a date just the 2 of us! Hopeful soon we will. The weather has been WONDERFUL! Love the feeling of FALL weather. Now that I can open new windows! Before there was no screen and it makes it difficult to do it and don't feel safe with wide open. Suga keeps suggesting that I shld watch "The Secret" and I got it from Library. So will ck it out soon. I better get off..

Talk some more later. Will post pictures of before and after for the bathroom.

Visiting Angela n Rachelle in KC

My kids and I drove to KC to stay at Angela's place for a couple of nites and it was soooo good to see them. Their beautiful babies! Lil Z and Lil P wow. I miss holding them! My kids aren't baby anymore!! Boo Hoo.. I think babies are much more fun and easy! Toddlers.. Oh boy.. More challenge! Anyway, we all went to MidWest Kids Event and it was interesting information and free popcorn. Kids got some candy that looks like sand but it has flavors and colors.. They pick out the flavor and put it in the tube. Of course, they ate it! Candy freak kids! Pfft.. I don't like them eating candies very well. Or else, they become soo obsessed with the candies! It was a nice visit with Angela and Rachelle. Old times. Now they are mothers! wow.. Feels better to have them join my motherhood club! Here are the pictures of their beautiful kids and my kids.